Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Write CONTEMPORARY FICTION (10/30/14)
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TITLE: The Gift | Previous Challenge Entry
By Verna Cole Mitchell
11/04/14 -
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Jane smiled at her friend, who was, like always, being optimistic. “I’ll be back tomorrow, Carol. Is there anything you need me to bring you—a book, more flowers, a big chocolate candy bar, or do your husband and daughter need me to bring them a meal?”
“Don’t need a thing, dear. Just look at all these flowers. If I had any more, I could open a florist shop. I can’t seem to concentrate enough to read, and somehow chocolate doesn’t tempt me right now—getting skinny, you know. As for meals, James and our daughter don’t have any more room in the freezer for casseroles and desserts. Just your visits are enough. Your funny face keeps me smiling. Now if you could get them to move my bed so I can see those beautiful trees outside my window, I could go for that, but the nurses have already told me that that’s not a possibility.
All the way home, Jane wondered what she could take the next day that would be a reminder to Carol of her loving thoughts. Suddenly, a glimmer of an idea struck her, and she wheeled her Honda into the Walmart parking lot and went inside. Finding just what she wanted, she took it to the front and after the clerk had wrapped the package in brown paper, she used her credit card to pay. She laid the package carefully in the car trunk and could hardly wait till the next day to take it to Carol.
After Jane parked the next morning, she went through the lobby to the elevators, careful all the while not to run into anyone with her unwieldy package. When she got off the elevator and went down the hall, Carol’s door was partially open, and Jane slid through, leaving her package outside.
Carol was talking to her husband on her cell phone, and waving to her, said “Just a minute.” After Carold told Jim goodbye, she turned to Jane, “I’ve had some not-so-good news today. According to the latest tests, it looks like I’m not going to be skinny after all. The doctor says the cancer has gone to my liver, but in spite of that, I still know that I am always in God’s hands. Jim was just reading to me from Psalm 139, my favorite one, and it’s such an encouragement to know I’m never out of God’s sight or out of His care, no matter what comes my way.”
Jane said, “I’m so sorry, but skinny or not so skinny, you’ll always be one of the most beautiful people I know. Your love for God shines out of you like a golden lamp. I’m glad you can get encouragement from God’s Word.
“I have a surprise for you,” she said, and quickly going into the hall, she came back in with the package. She held it next to Carol, who untied the string and pulled away the brown paper to reveal a tall mirror.
“My sweet, silly friend, why in the world would I want to see myself in a mirror, especially now that I’m not going to be skinny? But I do appreciate the thought though.”
“Oh, no,” said Jane, “the mirror’s not for you to see yourself, but to see something else.” With that, she carried the mirror to the wall opposite the window, where she propped it up to show the graceful limbs, adorned with bright green leaves, of the giant oak that stood sentinel right outside Carol’s window. “Now when Jim comes in, I have something he can use to fasten this to the wall for you.”
As Carol looked at the mirror to see the tree swaying gently in the wind, she said, “God must have shown you just what I needed today, Not only has He provided inspiration from His Word, but He has also reminded me of the beauty of nature . . . and of friendship."
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I have a friend who was in stage four cancer three times, and all three times, went into remission, thanks be to GOD. She is now currently working on her 10th year of being FREE from that horrific monster.
Excellent writing.
God bless~